Jitendra Awhad’s wife Ruta compares Osama bin Laden to Abdul Kalam, claims ‘remark edited’; BJP reacts

Ruta Awhad, the wife of senior NCP (Sharad Pawar) leader Jitendra Awhad, sparked a row after she allegedly compared slain terrorist Osama bin Laden to scientist and the late former President APJ Abdul Kalam.

Addressing an event in Maharashtra's Thane on Wednesday, Ruta Awhad claimed that Osama bin Laden was not born a terrorist. She was trying to highlight the importance of education in her speech.

The videos of her speech have gone viral on social media platforms.

In one of the videos, the former minister's wife can be heard saying that the way AJP Abdul Kalam became Kalam Saheb (President), similarly Osama bin Laden became a terrorist. “But why did he become a terrorist? He was not a born terrorist. Society forced him. But what happened at the end?” Awhad said.

Ruta Awhad also called on students to read Bin Laden's biography to understand how he became a terrorist.

However, as the BJP criticised her and the Opposition INDIA bloc over her remarks, she claimed that one of her statements was edited. “I don't know what it is.”

Further clarifying her remarks, Ruta Awhad stated, “Today's generation doesn't read. So, I told them to leave their mobile phone and read instead. I told them to read 'Wings of Fire' by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. His journey is wonderful. I also told them there is another side to life - like why Osama bin Laden became a terrorist. Nobody is good or bad by birth, but he became so bad.”

Further stating that there is a book on Osama which remained a bestseller in New York for months after his killing, Awhad added, "So, it is interesting what happens in one's life that makes one good or bad. One of my statements was edited. I don't know what it is."

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) targeted Jitendra Awhad over his wife's remarks and said that all the alliance parties of the INDI Alliance have a soft corner towards terrorists.

“Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar gave a clean chit to Kasab and said that he did not kill Hemant Karkare. A Congress minister named Aslam Shiekh advocated for Yakub Memon. Abu Azmi of Samajwadi Party also did the same," ANI quoted BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala as saying.

Later, in a post on X, Poonawala said, “NCP Sharad Pawar faction leader Jeetendra Ahwad's wife defends and eulogises Osama bin Laden. Compares him to APJ Abdul Kalam!. Says society made him a terrorist! Jeetendra Ahwad had defended Ishrat Jahan (LeT terrorist). INDI-Congress-NCP Pawar- SP- alliance leaders have routinely defended Yakub, Afzal, SIMI, Kasab and others too.”